Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Appeal Number: 9032
Decision Date: May 26, 2022
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Asim Afzal
Student Email: 1aa8@queensu.ca

Course: HIST 283
Term: Winter
Year: 2022
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: HLTH 101
Term: Winter
Year: 2022
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Course: PHAR 100
Term: Winter
Year: 2022
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline

Dear Asim Afzal:

I have carefully considered your appeal to drop HIST 283, HLTH 101, and PHAR 100 (W22) past the academic deadline. After reviewing your file, I have decided to deny your request.

As you know, courses must be dropped on SOLUS within the published deadlines. The Academic Regulations (Appeal of Academic Decisions, IIIb) stress that exceptions to this will only be waived under extenuating circumstances. The integrity of Arts and Science transcripts in general would be greatly diminished if the Faculty were to effect changes to students?? records without clear and compelling documentation indicating that the student??s performance was significantly compromised by circumstances beyond their control.

I certainly empathize with your situation and understand that this is a disappointing decision however I want you to know that competing commitments, such as working a job while taking courses is not typically grounds for an appeal. An extenuating circumstance is defined as a significant physical or psychological event that is beyond a student??s control and debilitating to their academic performance. With the absence of documentation to confirm the presence of an extenuating circumstance that had impacted your academic ability during the Winter 2022 term, I cannot grant this request.

This is a disappointing decision I am sure however I want to remind you that repeating courses is a recommended strategy if you are concerned about a lower grade impacting your grade point average. When repeating the exact same course, both grades remain on your transcript but only the higher one is included within your cumulative GPA.

If you wish to appeal the Associate Dean??s decision to the Board of Studies, information and deadlines can be found at www.queensu.ca/artsci/students-at-queens/academic-appeals (click on ??Board of Studies?).??You may contact the Office of the University Ombudsperson for information about student rights and responsibilities as well as guidance on policy and procedure (www.queensu.ca/ombuds).

??Student Academic Appeals Policy (SAAP) or Rules of Procedure for USAB are Queen??s university Senate approved appeal policies. In the event that an inconsistency arises between these policies and Arts & Science regulations, SAAP and USAB will supersede.??

Sincerely,

Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Academic)